03/31/2020
Dear Tenants,
We hope that you, your family and close associates remain well during these incredibly difficult times.
As April 1st looms, and with the Covid-19 pandemic as a backdrop, we realize that some of our tenants are struggling. Emergency protective measures for tenants have been put in place by both local and state governments. As all of us try to fully understand these measures, we want to assure that we will do everything to support you. We also ask that you, as tenants, realize that as the property owner, we have incredibly large and immediate financial commitments. These immediate expenses include Insurance, utilities, building repairs and maintenance, loan and mortgage payments, and property taxes. All of us must band together and help each other.
Your rent is still due on the first of the month. We understand during this health crisis you may have lost or reduced income impacting your ability to pay rent. We can assist by accepting late or partial payment of rent, waiving late fees and not initiating any eviction action. Per guidelines, tenants are to provide “documentation to the Landlord that they have lost substantial income. Examples of documentation may include, but are not limited to, a letter from the employer citing COVID-19 as a reason for reduced work hours or termination, employer paycheck stubs, or bank statements.” The landlord is not waiving rent but will be understanding of late or partial payments for those with demonstrated inability to pay. Please provide an explanation and documentation of your circumstance and pay as much rent as you can in April. Also, make sure you are applying for assistance by calling 211 and applying for the stimulus check as soon as the Federal Bill is passed. We greatly appreciate the timeliness of your rent payment. As small apartment unit owners, we are dependent on the rental streams.
Lastly and very important. Please DO NOT contact Victor Martinez for any Non-Emergencies in order to continue practicing "Social Distancing" and keeping everyone safe.
The following is a summary of the guidelines set out by the Governor of California.
The emergency ordinance is retroactive to March 4, 2020, when Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency to address the COVID-19 outbreak in California.
If a tenant is unable to pay rent between March 4 and May 31, due to a reduction in income caused by COVID-19, they must notify their landlords that rent will not be paid on time. Tenants are then required to provide documentation of substantial income losses caused by job layoffs, out-of-pocket medical expenses or requirements to stay at home due to COVID-19. Protected tenants have until Nov. 30 to pay all delayed rent to their landlords without incurring late charges.
Through May 31, landlords issuing notifications for rental nonpayment notifications must include information about the City’s emergency ordinance so that tenants are aware of their rights.
Similarly, Mayor Eric Garcetti provided these guidelines on March 15, 2020:
I hereby order that no landlord shall evict a residential tenant in the City of Los Angeles during this local emergency period if the tenant is able to show an inability to pay rent due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These circumstances include loss of income due to a COVID-19 related workplace closure, child care expenditures due to school closures, health care expenses related to being ill with COVID-19 or caring for a member of the tenant’s household who is ill with COVID-19, or reasonable expenditures that stem from government-ordered emergency measures. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to mean that the tenant will not still be obligated to pay lawfully charged rent. Tenants will have up to six months following the expiration of the local emergency period to repay any back due rent. Tenants may use the protections afforded in this subsection as an affirmative defense in an unlawful detainer action. This subsection shall remain in effect during the pendency of the local emergency period.
We wish you good health during this difficult time.
Please contact me DIRECTLY if you have any questions or concerns.
Kabir Sabherwal
